Snap acting slide lock top closure



Dec. 14, 1965 R. NYDEN 3,223,297

SNAP ACTING SLIDE LOCK TOP CLOSURE Filed June 5, 1954 INVENTOR ROBERT N Y D EN BY 6% v- M ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,223,297 SNAP ACTING SLIDE LOCK TOP CLOSURE Robert Nyden, Manhasset, N.Y., assignor to Waterbury Companies, Inc., Waterbury, C0nn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 3, 1964, Ser. No. 372,144 9 Claims. (Cl. 222-485) The object of my invention is to provide a dispenser top which embodies a member slidable from closed" to opened position and vice versa so as to permit the contents of the container to be expressed therefrom through said top via access provided thereto by sliding the top to its opened position and then tilting, shaking or squeezing the container body.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cap of resilient material which may be snapped into its operative position, the several parts being shaped for ease in assembling same.

A further object is to provide a cap of the character described which automatically locks in either opened or closed position, being also shaped to facilitate its manual operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap which, due to its novel construction, is easy to assemble but resists accidental disassembly.

A further object is to provide a cap of the character described in which the above and other objects may be effectively attained, as will be more specifically set forth in the detailed description given below.

A practical embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents a top plan view of my invention with the parts assembled, said top being in the closed positron;

FIG. 2 represents a section taken on the line IITl of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 represents the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the cap moved to its opened position;

FIG. 4 represents a top plan view of the cap with its slidable top removed;

FIG. 5 represents a section taken on the line VV of FIG. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 represents a top plan view of the slidable top member of the combination; and

FIG. 7 represents a transverse, vertical section taken on the line VIIVII of FIG. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

It is understood that the last two views are taken of the slidable member prior to its assembly with the cap.

Broadly, my invention comprises a container including a hollow body to which access may be had through the top, said top being shaped to have removably afiixed thereto a cut-out cap, and a slidable top member mounted on and adapted to slide with respect to cut-outs of said cap to open and close at least One other cut-out in said cap.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the container body, which is shown in dotted outline, is denoted by 1, its neck portion by 2 and its annular exterior raised portion by 3, the latter being adapted to be engaged by the annular inturned lip 4 of the cap member 5, as shown in FIG. 2. The cap member 5 is affixed to the container neck by snapping same over said portion 3 as it is contemplated that either the container neck or the said cap member, or both, be comprised of resilient material.

The cap member 5 is cut-out at 6 as shown in FIG. 4 and is further provided with a plurality of cut-outs, holes or dispensing openings 7 Which are located on an are so that the useful area of the end cut-outs may be larger than if round cut-outs Were used and still be closed by 3,223,297 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 top 11. The shape and location of the cut-outs as described is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the size and number of same being optional. It should be noted that the radius of the arc of the outside edges of the holes is less than that of element 12 so that the latter may eilectively cover same in closed position.

Member 5 has points 14, 15 which extend into cut-out 6 for purposes set out below. Said cut-out 6 is divided into two sections, numbered 8 and 8a, and it will be noted that 8a is partially surrounded by a bevelled edge which gives good sealing efiect against wall 13 of top 11 when the parts are assembled. This construction also facilitates molding of the top 11.

The element 9 of the cap member 5 is slanted downwardly and inwardly as shown in FIG. 5 toward the center of the cut-out 6, which cut-out is adapted to receive the base portion 10 of the slidable cap top 11. The top 11 is provided with a downwardly slanting section 12 extending outwardly from the Wall 13, and it will he noted that the base element 10 of top 11 is of a slightly larger diameter than the cut-out 8 in top 11 and has 21 depending taper 10a to facilitate the assembly of top 11 and cap 5. Wall 13 of top 11 is of a thickness permitting a resiliency therein, the proportions shown in FIG. 7 being suitable.

The parts are so constructed in order that the under surfaces of 8 and 8a of the intermediate top member 5 may be slidably engaged by the upper part of lower section 10 of top 11 when this section 10 has been snapped through the cut'outs 8, 8a in the area 9 of the said member 5.

On assembly of 5 and 11, the parts will assume the shapes illustrated in FIG. 2 in a springy relationship which tends to compensate for any irregularities from the molding of the respective parts as well as resisting vertical disassembly.

Further, the circular shape of the top 11 is advantageous in that it gives a tight tit at all points of its outer circumference and equalizes the pressure for facility in its operation. and equalizes the pressure for facility in its operation.

This constructiotn permits the slidable top 11 to be slidably snapped horizontally back and forth across points 14, 15 and in the cut-out 8, in the direction of the arrows, as illustrated in FIG. 4, to uncover and cover the plurality of perforations 7 in cap 5. Said points by engaging Wall 13 will serve to releasably hold said top in opened or closed position when same has been slid horizontally past same, as the space between said points is less than the outside diameter of wall 13, and bevel 8:: will provide adequate closure due to its engagement with wall 13, as noted above.

It is a feature of my invention that once the cap 5 and its top 11 have been assembled with the container neck, any force tending to dislodge the cap and/ or top, particularly the latter, will cause the area 9 to he raised vertically since same is slanted downwardly and inwardly, as shown in FIG. 5. Upon being pulled upwardly, the edges of 8 (or 8a) will tend to seize the depending portion 13 of the top 11 and resist the dislodgement of same as raising said surface vertically toward the horizontal will decrease the diameter of the opening 6.

The construction of the several parts is such that the accurate mounting of the slidable top on the intermediate cap member tends to eliminate the possibility of leakage of the container contents. The angled elements 9 and 12 coact in the assembly (FIG. 2) to eliminate lost motion between the several parts while permitting the slidable relationship outlined above, thereby affording an efiicient and effective closure. As long as no additional vertical motion is imparted to the top, it will slide easily on the said intermediate member (cap 5), and cut-out 12a accommodates any excess material left on surface 9 after use.

Since it is evident that various changes may be made in the size, form and relationship of the several elements without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, I do not intend to be limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described except as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A closure for containers comprising the combination with a container neck providing access to the container interior of a cap member having at least one bore therethrough, a depending skirt on said cap, an annular ring on said skirt extending inwardly therefrom to engage the container neck, other means in said cap in communication with said container interior, a concave interior surface of said cap surrounding said bore, a top slidably mounted on said cap surface having a depending wall contacted by said surface and extended through said bore, an annular lower wall section of a larger diameter than said depending wall engaging the underside of said concave surface, a slanted section of the top engaging the concave surface of the cap and means on the cap and top holding the top in open and closed positions whereby the top may be slid one Way to expose the means in communication with the container interior and the opposite way to cover and close said means.

2. A closure for containers comprising the combination with a container neck providing access to the container interior of a cap member having at least one bore therethrough, a depending skirt on said cap, an annular ring on said skirt extending inwardly therefrom to engage the container neck, other means in said cap in communication with said container interior, a concave interior surface of said cap surrounding said bore, a top slidably mounted on said cap surface having a depending Wall contacted by said surface and extended through said bore, an annular lower wall section of a larger diameter than said depending wall engaging the underside of said concave surface, a section of. the top engaging the concave surface of the cap and means on the cap and top for holding the top in open and closed positions whereby the top may be slid one way to expose the means in communication with the container interior and the opposite way to cover and close said means.

3. The combination according to claim 1 in which the engagement of the top and cap include opposed slanted superposed sections for maintaining said top and cap in operative slida'ble relationship.

4. The combination according to claim 1 in which the means on the cap and top for holding the top in opened and closed positions comprise -at least one inwardly disposed cap section in variable engagement with said top depending wall to hold same in a desired position.

5. The combination according to claim 1 in which the concave interior surface of the cap surrounding the bore includes a bevelled interior edge contacting the depending top wall.

6. A closure for containers comprising the combination with a container neck providing access to the container interior of'a cap member having a bore therethrough, means for holding the cap to the container neck, other means in said cap in communication with said container interior, a top slidably mounted on said cap to cover and uncover said other means and still other means on said cap and top for locking same against upward vertical relative movement and releasably locking same in predetermined relationship, the means on said cap and top for locking same against vertical relative movement comprising a depending top Wall portion, an inwardly extending slanted cap surface in engagement therewith and an enlarged lower end on said wall whereby pull on the top causes a leveling of the slanted cap surface and amplifies the engagement of the said surface and the depending top wall portion.

7. A closure for containers comprising the combination with a container neck providing access to the container interior of a cap member having a bore therethrough, means for holding the cap to the container neck, other means in said cap in communication with said container interior, a top slidably mounted on said cap to cover and uncover said other means and still other means on said cap and top for locking same against upward vertical relative movement and releasably locking same in predetermined relationship, said means on said cap and top for releasably locking same in predetermined relationship comprising opposed cap member points extending horizontally into said cap bore and a depending top wall portion of slightly greater diameter than the distance between said points and releasably engaged thereby.

8. A closure for containers comprising the combination with a container neck providing access to the container interior of a cap member having a bore therethrough, means for holding the cap to the container neck, other means in said cap in communication with said container interior, a top slidably mounted on said cap to cover and uncover said other means and still other means on said cap and top for locking same against upward vertical relative movement and releasably locking same in predetermined relationship, the uppermost surface of the top slidably mounted on the cap lying in substantially the same horizontal plane as the uppermost surface of the said cap.

9. A closure for containers comprising the combination with a container neck providing access to the container interior of a cap member having a bore therethrough, means for holding the cap to the container neck, other means in said cap in communication with said container interior, a top slidably mounted on said cap to cover and uncover said other means and still other means on said cap and top for locking same in predetermined relationship, said other means in said cap in communication with said container interior comprising at least one opening in said cap located on an arc of less radius than that of the cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/ 1955 Bernhardt 222498 

6. A CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS COMPRISING THE COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER NECK PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE CONTAINER INTERIOR OF A CAP MEMBER HAVING A BORE THERETHROUGH MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CAP TO THE CONTAINER NECK, OTHER MEANS IN SAID CAP IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CONTAINER INTEROR, A TOP SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CAP TO COVER SAID UNCOVER SAID OTHER MEANS AND STILL OTHER MEANS ON SAID CAP AND SAID TOP FOR LOCKING SAME AGAINST UPWARD VERTICAL RELATIVE MOVEMENT AND RELEASABLY LOCKING SAME IN PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP, THE MEANS ON SAID CAP AND TOP FOR LOCKING SAME AGAINST VERTICAL RELATIVE MOVEMENT COMPRISING A DEPENDING TOP WALL POSITION, AN INWARDLY EXTENDING SLANTED CAP SURFACE IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND AN ENLARGED LOWER END ON SAID WALL WHEREBY PULL ON THE TOP CAUSES A LEVELING OF THE SLANTED CAP SURFACE AND AMPLIFIES THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID SURFACE AND THE LEADING DEPENDING TOP WALL PORTION. 